Wu Zhen had grown up at virtually the same time as Master Yü, and so he understood perfectly well what the master wished to know. He spoke at length about the young lady who had visited the household twice.

“This servant made inquiries. Our young lady and that other young lady became acquainted last year. She is said to be from the capital — this servant listened carefully and she does indeed speak with a capital accent, so it seems she was not being dishonest.”

This was precisely what Master Yü wanted to know. In and out of consciousness, his daughter had pressed some medicine into his hand and silently conveyed that he should take it — a remedy of unknown origin. He had swallowed it on the principle of trying anything when one is desperate, and never imagined that after drinking it down his body would feel lighter, and his periods of lucidity would grow longer. However, his wife placed such trust in her own family that he had no choice but to conceal it even from her.

He felt along the seam of the bed at the innermost side, drew out a small porcelain vial, and handed it to Wu Zhen. “Shen Xiang has been bought by Zeng Xiangling. Do not move against her for now — have Weiwei be on guard. As for Madam, do not let her leave the house, and under no circumstances allow her to visit the Zeng family.”

“Yes, Master.”

Master Yü drew several rapid, wheezing breaths. “Tell Weiwei — Zeng Xiangling is not to be trusted. Qi Qiu, being connected to Zeng Xiangling, is likewise no good thing. They intend to scheme against the Yü family.”

He had, in near silence, handed over the silver mine, and had even permitted Zeng Xiangling to arrange for someone to come into the household as a son-in-law. He had originally believed this would set Zeng Xiangling’s mind at ease and at least keep Weiwei safe from harm. Yet he had not anticipated that taking his life would not be enough for Zeng Xiangling — he had no intention of sparing Weiwei either, let alone leaving the Yü family any heir. How could he accept this?

Master Yü’s features contorted. Since the outcome was the same whether he yielded or not, why yield at all? Even if one foot were already planted on the threshold of the underworld, he would claw his way back and drag that Zeng Xiangling down into hell along with him.

Darkness swam before his eyes in waves. Master Yü closed them. “Take the brush holder from my study and send it to Weiwei. Tell her — she is now the head of the Yü household. All matters within the family are hers to decide. She may do as she sees fit and need not fear the consequences.”

“Yes, Master.” Wu Zhen’s nose stung with the urge to weep. “You may rest easy. The young lady is very shrewd. She had already guessed the Zeng family would send someone — she instructed this servant in advance to wait here so she could ask questions afterward.”

The corners of Master Yü’s lips curved faintly upward. She was the one he had taught and shaped with his own hands — no one knew better than he how intelligent his own daughter was. It was precisely this that had made even the regret of having no son much less sharp than it might otherwise have been.

Sounds stirred from outside. Wu Zhen tucked the small porcelain vial inside his robe and smoothed the master’s quilt into place. He had barely finished when the half-latched door was pushed open and Shen Xiang stepped briskly inside.

With suspicion already in his heart, Wu Zhen noticed clearly that she let her gaze linger an extra moment on the bed-curtains.

The following day brought overcast skies. The wind gusted and howled, and the warmth that had returned to the air seemed overnight to have retreated all the way back to deep winter. Thick garments that had only just been put away were brought out and put back on again.

Hua Zhi found getting out of bed a considerable ordeal and refused to let go of her hand warmer.

“Do you need to go over there today as well?” she asked.

“An unfamiliar face would be ill-suited to appear. Zeng Xiangling’s vigilance is very strong.” Gu Yanxi glanced over at A’Zhi. “On a day like this you still intend to go out?”

“No — weather this cold is a perfectly good excuse, isn’t it?” Hua Zhi smiled with evident satisfaction. She had no real fondness for those amusements to begin with, so being spared the trip was simply wonderful.

Gu Yanxi smiled along with her. “A game of chess, then?”

“Let us.”

The two settled in at an unhurried pace, moves flowing back and forth, conversation carrying on alongside. “What is Zeng Xiangling’s true identity? Could he also be one of the Chaoli people?”

“I have investigated him twice — the second time with particular thoroughness, because I suspected him by then. And yet I found not a single suspicious detail. His background is remarkably clean.” Gu Yanxi placed a black stone, blocking A’Zhi’s path. “Zeng Nanyi and his wife had him one year after their marriage. As the eldest legitimate grandson of the Zeng family, he grew up in comfort and smooth circumstances. At twenty-seven, Zeng Nanyi stepped back and handed the family over to him. His capability was plain for all to see, and he brought the Zeng family to ever-greater prosperity.”

“How old is he now?”

“Thirty-five.”

Hua Zhi placed a white stone, severing what had yet to take shape of his dragon. “And Zeng Nanyi? Also a spotless record?”

“That is what our investigations found, and fortunately so — otherwise I cannot imagine how many decades the Chaoli people might have been plotting.”

Hua Zhi thought about it, and truly, if Zeng Nanyi were also of the Chaoli tribe, then the forty years previously assumed would be far from the full extent of it.

“If both are genuine subjects of Daqing, then what would drive Zeng Xiangling — a man living perfectly well — to work himself to the bone on behalf of the Chaoli people? What is there to gain?” Hua Zhi shook her head. “I still cannot make it add up. A person’s actions always have a reason behind them — whether for fame, for gain, for gratitude, or for revenge. The Zeng family is among the foremost in Jinyang, with both wealth and power. Even if he helped the Chaoli people conquer the realm, could he become one of them? As far as I know, the Chaoli are fiercely insular — in the hundred years they ruled, they treated the people of the Central Plains as little better than livestock.”

“To the Chaoli, the people of the Central Plains did not even measure up to livestock. They held their horses in very high regard.”

Hua Zhi laughed. “True — I misspoke.”

On the board, white stones were scattered east and west while the black dragon had grown formidable. Hua Zhi placed one more stone in an inconspicuous corner. Gu Yanxi’s black stones continued to fall with measured regularity — two entirely different styles of play, yet neither player underestimated the other in the least.

Bao Xia came in to report. “Young Lady, Miss Yü has arrived.”

The two exchanged a glance. Gu Yanxi rose. “I will go to the adjoining room.”

Thin walls are excellent listeners, and at such a moment this was precisely the right use of them.

Hua Zhi tidied her clothes and went to meet her at the door. A moment later she saw Bao Xia leading Yü Weiwei over.

Before Hua Zhi could say a word, Yü Weiwei crossed quickly to her, took her arm, and pulled her inside, asking in a low voice, “Is it convenient to speak here?”

Hua Zhi glanced at Bao Xia. Bao Xia understood at once, withdrew from the room, and drew the door shut behind her.

“Yes, it is. Here there is only me as mistress, and the servants I brought from the capital are all my own people.”

Yü Weiwei turned her back, used her cloak to conceal what she was doing, and spent a moment working at something with her head bowed. Then she drew out what appeared to be one sheet of paper, or perhaps several, and passed them to Hua Zhi.

The paper still held the warmth of her body — Hua Zhi felt a stir in her heart. Hidden away so carefully…

“Shall I open it?”

Yü Weiwei nodded rapidly, her expression carrying something like excitement.

Hua Zhi opened it and looked. It was indeed a contract, and at first glance the parties named were Yü Chengxiang, Zeng Xiangling, and Zhu Ling.

Just as she had surmised — this was the contract relating to that silver mine.

“Your medicine worked very well, Ling Niang. My father’s periods of clarity have grown longer, and he had the steward bring me the brush holder from his study.” Yü Weiwei lowered her head and smiled, her eyes reddening at the rims. “When I was small and mischievous I knocked the brush holder off and it broke clean in two. I was so frightened I cried and cried. My father, to comfort me, assembled it back together right in front of me — and that was how I learned the bottom of the brush holder was hollow. My father had hidden this contract inside it all along.”

“So Qi Qiu’s visit to your father’s study was for the sole purpose of finding this?”

“That is certainly what he went for.” Yü Weiwei gave a cold laugh. “My mother let him out. Yesterday my cousin-in-law came and said Zeng Xiangling intended to take him out today to broaden his horizons, and they left first thing this morning.”

Hua Zhi understood at once. Zeng Xiangling had taken Qi Qiu along with him, which spoke volumes about the trust he placed in him. Could Qi Qiu, then, be one of the Chaoli people?